Cycling Vietnam to Laos

This challenge trip will take you through the best mountain scenery of Vietnam – conquer the Tonkinese Alps to the historical Dien Bien Phu battle field – General Giap’s site – and up the mountain again to Laos.

Trip for sportive cyclist who love to see your HR go up and down along the mountain pass. There are some tough day before and after DienBienPhu former battle field with the French. Great mountain scenery along the Da river and the Nam Ou.

Starting from Hanoi, we transfer by van to SonTay, visit DuongLam ancient village. Then we keep on to ThanhSon where we start at DeoKhe, going down hill and on to BaKhe for lunch break. In the afternoon we ride through the tea plantation to Nghia Lo where we spend tonight.

Day 2: Nghia Lo to Tu Le. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

It’s a nice day warm up your leg before challenging up other hills. There are several hills to conquer until arriving in Tu Le. Lunch break, then we start a loop around the huge valley of Tule with Thai villages and their rice farms. Time for hot bath at a local hotspring by the stream in Tu Le. O/n at a PhoNui guesthouse.

Day 3: Tu Le to Mu Cang Chai. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

There is a big challenge today with a big climb up KhauPha pass, up to 1,500 m, then we go down hill to NgaBaKim. The photo road start from here. Every corner of this winding road along the rice terraces of Lapantan and Checunha villages are good places for photograph. We keep on to Mu Cang Chai for overnight.

Day 4: MuChang chai to Than Uyen. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Relaxing today with gentle road going down hill from Mu Cang Chai to MuongKim. The last 9km from MuongKim to Than Uyen is fantastic with scenery of Karst moutain and valley, rice terraces of the Thai villages along the road sie. Late afternoon easy ride around the town. O/n in Hoan Quan guesthouse.

Day 5: Than Uyen to Tuan Giao (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Get ready for a big day. This day ia a challenge 115km up and down hill all day to TuanGiao via MuongGion and TaKhoa bridge over the Da reservoir….O/n at TuanGiao guesthouse.

Day 6: Tuan Giao to DienBienPhu. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Good road with gentle hills and beautiful scenery of the Nam Ma river. Coffee break in MuongAng town before climb up to TangQuai pass, picnic lunch break at the Artillery memorial place of DienBienPhu campaign. Then we ride to DienBienPhu town for tonight.

Day 7: Around DienBienPhu (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Sightseeing day around DienBienPhu former battlefields: Eliane – A 1 hill, Military museum, Gabriel – DocLap hill and bunker of Decartes etc….Riding up to the hill for panorama view of DienBienPhu with memory of General Giap !

This is a big day. We start early from DienBien to TayTrang border with 35km climb up the mountain to Laos border. Crossing to Laos, then we go down hill to MuangKhoua for overnight.

Day 9: MuangKhoua to Udomxai (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Relaxing today, good road, great view, nice river along the main road ~ 100km to Udomxai.

Day 10: Udomxai to Nongkiaw (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Morning warm up your leg 6km outside the town, the moutain begins. This is a challenge day, climb up mountain passes through tropical forest. After 5km up hill we pass by a waterfalls over a limestone cliff into a Nam beng tributary. First summit at level +1,200 meter, then we decent down and climb to a second pass, Hmong villages living along road to the second summit. The third pass is the longest one, at this summit, we have only 28km to go , all way down to Pakmong little town, then we keep on to Nongkiaw. Overnight at a riverside resort in Nongkiaw.

Day 11: Sightseeing Nongkiaw. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

It’s a rest day to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Nongkiaw. Boat trip, cave visit and relaxing, walk around the little town, massage etc….. O/n Nongkiaw.

Day 12: Nongkiaw to Luangprabang (Breakfast, lucnh, dinner)

In the morning, we transfer via Pakmong junction to Namkene where we start cycling again. Good road with gentle hills and beautiful scenery of the Nam ou river. We turn right at Nam Ou bridge to follow a dirt road to the Mekong river. Boat trip to visit famous PakOu cave. Lunch break by the mekong river. In the afternoon, we cycle along the mighty Mekong river and enter LuangPrabang former capital of Laos. Farewell dinner in LPG. Our Cycling Vietnam to Laos end here.
Pls.let us know if you want to extend cycling around Luangprabang or keep on cycling southern Laos to Vientiane, Pakse.